Albion Landfill Site, Cell 2B

This project involved the construction of a new 1,000,000m3 capacity cell at Albion Landfill, Swadlincote.

The works included:

• The removal of 50,000m³ of surplus material. Initially, this was unsuitable to use within the liner works, but by using rotivation equipment, VHE enabled this material to become reusable.

• Preparation of the site slopes and the base area to formation level as well as conditioning of 80,000m³ of material to be used as the clay liner, using colliery spoil to create engineered product with strict geotechnical properties. In order to do this, VHE had to rotivate and process with the addition of moisture to achieve strict parameters (permeability, sheer strength, compaction and moisture content). Once formation was achieved the ground water system was installed.

• Terram 1C1 drainage composite was placed in the cell base. Once the groundwater drainage systems were in place, the clay liner installation could commence. The clay liner was installed in 250mm layers as derived from the compaction trial at the beginning of the contract. This was then tested by CQA’s resident engineer to confirm that all criteria of the specification was met.

• Once the finished level for the clay liner was achieved the leachate drainage system commenced. This involved a 300mm gravel layer over the cell base and a portion of the slopes. A collection pipe system and monitoring / extraction chambers were then installed for future control.

• A high screening bund was constructed above Cells 1 and 2A.

• All the works were inspected on a daily basis by the CQA Engineer, as well as a weekly visit by the Environment Agency Officer who deals with engineering works on landfills.